hair

I’m headed home in just a few weeks and I REALLY hope that I can get my hair done by the woman I’ve been going to for 7 years. I’ve tried a couple places in Chicago, but they’re all twice the price and don’t deliver what I want.

I need this.

For my sanity.

For my self-esteem.

For looking pretty, because let’s face it, my hair is an over-grown mess right now and that mess is bleeding into the rest of my look.

Want to know what I did on my day off? Probably not, but this is my blog so I’m going to write about it anyway.

The day started with a little bit of sleeping in, which surprised me because I slept to much yesterday. I was fully awake around 10, at which point I read on twitter via my phone (as in I was still in bed) that there was a tutorial in the Etsy Virtual Labs that sounded interesting, so I got up and made my way all the way to the couch to check it out.

The video was interesting and I found some great sources for sewing and hopefully quilting through it, but I think missing the first few minutes of it really made me miss the point. I guess I thought that a Virtual Lab put on by All People Quilt would have been more about quilting than about pillow cases, so I assume there was something to address that in the first few minutes. I did check out the website and the specific video they were referring to, which allowed me to learn how to make a French seam, which I have to say is kind of an impressive thing for people who notice details. Also, it’s really simple!

After that I wasted a bit of time online. Just being a little lazy and catching up on blog reading and such. I had a request to wash some uniforms for this week’s XOSO games for a particularly awesome player, so I went to grab those shifts from his floor before returning the redbox movie to Safeway and stopping by what seems to be a well-established community garden to see how things work.

I ran into some trouble there, as the garden is locked and there was no one there for me to talk to and possibly let me in. I have to admit that in my walk around the quarter block that the garden comprises, I was impressed by some aspects, but rather disappointed in some others. While it seems that there was lots that was growing well and that is awesome, it also didn’t seem so welcoming. If I do end up making a go of this Urban Community Garden I definitely want it to be welcoming and feel like a place that anyone can come to enjoy.

After being disappointed by the garden I went over to the downtown Ace Hardware to just take a look at some things and have a couple of keys made. While I was there I was treated with the unintentionally worst customer service I’ve had in a while. I was actually pretty pissed about it, so I’m sure that you’ll be hearing the full story later.

It was still only like 1:00 at that point, so I came home and put on a movie while I did some dishes and made some macaroni. When I put the mac & cheese in the oven I started making some fruit roll-up!

For the rest of the evening I cleaned up around the house (though it’s nowhere near where I hope to have it at the end of the week), took a shower, dried my hair, cut my bangs and even cleaned my ears in a doctor-approved fashion (q-tips are no acceptable people).

All in all I’d say I had a very productive, though domestic day, and you know what, I’m really proud of that! I mean, how many people do you know who make homemade macaroni & cheese, fruit roll-ups and cut their own bangs all in the same day? And look amazing while doing it all!

Even with some negatives, the New Year was fun, and friends and family are safely in 2010.

In the past week or so I’ve found my way back into the 1960s again. My family has often told me that I should have been alive in the 60s for the civil rights movements and such because I have always been a big believer in not only equal opportunity for all, but also peace love and happiness. Heck, in sixth grade I wore a necklace with a peace sign around my forehead at recess most days. I’ve also always loved Jackie O’s look and could already qualify for old lady status with my affinity for the cardigan sweater. Hairspray and Across the Universe totally have me swooning for every outfit, but one thing that I never really got into (because I’m not really patient enough to deal with it) is the hair. I love the look, but it’s just not really worth the effort for me.

That is, until I pulled out the velcro rollers that I bought a few years ago. I played with them a bit then, but didn’t really get into them. This week though, I’ve used them several times, and they’ve been popular! The big hair is a hit with the one I wanted to impress in the first place, and I’m getting the hang of finding a way to get just the right results from them! I actually think I might see about getting some hot rollers and trying those too!

I don’t have a good picture of the big hair without it all pulled back and not so big yet, but I do have a picture of the rollers!

I’ve been getting a little frustrated with the attention that I’ve been getting because of the hair. I love the hair, and I think that the color works well for me, but I get much more attention than I thought I would and I couldn’t understand why. Lots of people have different colors in their hair, why should it be such a big deal?

It all connected for me today though, when I saw a guy whose hair was so obviously dyed black it was almost painful and he was giving me the same stare that most people do. It’s the style! My hair is green, but I still dress and style my hair as though I’m on my way to be a soccer mom in the next 7 years. The incongruity is what’s throwing people off!

People don’t know what to think of me. Am I a little punk with green/blue hair, or am I a “typical” middle class white girl who conforms to society’s expectations?

Hopefully this new understanding will allow me to not mind the looks so much. I think I’ll have to wait until Thursday to really know since it’s so late now and tomorrow is a holiday and I won’t be going out in public much, especially with the painting of a house taking place and all.

I walked through several stores in the mall today. Normally I get asked almost right away in any store if I’d like help or whatever. I’m normally very polite in saying no, or try to think of a question for them because I know that I certainly hate to have to offer people customer service like that. Today though, I got nothing.

Apparently that is not someone who looks like they could possibly be spending money. Unless of course they’re in Sephora. Even there though, I didn’t get asked if I needed help, I got told that my hair was awesome.

Since I actually did have a question or two for some people today, I’m a little annoyed at the change of attention. I kind of wonder what the motivation for change was.

I’m really kind of liking the blue, but I don’t think that it’s because of the hue. (Hehe.) I think what I like is a slightly darker shade to kind of frame my face. I really love my blonde when I’m a bit more tan and there’s more of a difference between my skin and hair shades, but that’s not quite right for fall/winter. I’m paler now, and I want to go darker!

Not exactly dark, more like my natural dark blonde/light brown hair with a hint of auburn in it. Kind of like Amy Adams in Sunshine Cleaning, but with more light in it. Courtney can handle I’m sure!

Even though I didn’t get the job that I wanted with Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, things seem to be on an upswing.

The company that I’m temping for has been very happy with my work. I feel badly that I wasn’t feeling 100% today so I called in sick, but I’m feeling much better now so I’m hoping to go in early tomorrow and see if they’ll let me tweak my hours for the week by working extra tomorrow but putting it down for today. Unless of course they just want to pay me overtime for the technical over time that I’ll be offering to work.

I have a hair cut scheduled for Tuesday evening. Let’s hope that I remember to take before/after pictures. Anyone want to e-mail me on Monday evening as a reminder? Or better yet if you have my number please feel free to call or text a reminder on Tuesday!

I’m not going to do it this time, but I’m defitnely thinking about going dark like the picture of Feist below, or lightening my hair a lot. I’ll talk to Courtney about it while she’s cutting. She’s the first person that I really trust to do what she feels is best, and based on watching What Not to Wear I think that you hair dresser’s opinion and expertise is a key factor in great hair styles. I also know that she’ll be really honest with me about what would look better.

I have the feeling that she’ll take me lighter. She’s talked me into highlights before, and the only time that I really want the dark is when I’m watching something Feist related. Or Walk the Line.

I also picked up my new contacts today. One of them is specifically for astigmatism, so I guess it’s weighted to make it stay right side up. I haven’t changed them yet because I can’t find my contacts case, and I want to be able to put the onld ones back in if I can tell that the new ones aren’t working out.

I did some other things, but I’ll just sum it up by saying that I had an extremely productive day by Katherine standards and I hope to do the same again soon. Say…tomorrow?

Why does Tresume smell so awful now? It used to be pretty good. I didn’t bother smelling it at the store when I needed some better conditioner because I have very fond memories of the way that it smelled from many years ago.

When I used it in the shower last night though, I almost gagged on the smell. I don’t know about you, but that’s not exactly the reaction I want from something that I’m putting onto my hair.

Sorry I’ve been gone. Life has kind of gotten in the way of blogging. Unfortunately not all of the reasons behind that are positive.

I’m actually only blogging now from my temp job for this week. I know that when I get home tonight I will pretty much have just enough energy to hold my head up through the end of Project Runway and then pass out.

If it wouldn’t make me speed through my lunch way too fast I’d get into my tiff with Project Runway, but I’d rather enjoy the only real break I take during the day. Maybe I’ll be able to write on my lunch tomorrow. Then I’ll either be totally ok with the show again (if Ricky goes this week) or pissed enough that I’ll consider not watching it until about 9:58 pm next Wednesday.